Giving kids a safe, permanent home a balancing act

Sharon TirrellDSS

Published: Thursday, August 22, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, August 21, 2013 at 11:40 a.m.

"When a child is placed in foster care, my job is to see that the child has a safe, stable, permanent home," says Rachel Williams, one of 13 foster care social workers at the Department of Social Services. "It can be a tough balancing act between the rights and needs of parents and what's in the best interest of children."

She explained the process of determining the child's future. It is prescribed by law and very thorough. The social worker must create a permanent plan. The goal for the first 12 months must be reunification of the family. The plan lists what parents must accomplish before their children are returned.

The plan includes things such as holding a job for a period of time, finding a safe home or correcting safety hazards, completing parenting education or a domestic violence prevention program, having a mental health or substance abuse evaluation, getting treatment and remaining sober. Parents may be required to have periodic drug screens.

Social workers refer parents to local human service agencies for help in accomplishing their goals and follow-up with encouragement. They must visit the parents and the child's foster home at least monthly to check on progress. There is a lot of telephone contact in between.

Meanwhile, the worker is addressing needs of the children. Social worker Gloria Johnson described some of the problems children coming into foster care have. They may have been exposed to alcohol and/or drugs in utero. Perhaps they were born addicted to methadone.

They may have fetal alcohol syndrome. They may be malnourished. Most had poor prenatal nutrition. They may have lacked nurturing. Their intellectual and social development may be delayed. They may have traumatic stress disorder from sexual abuse or domestic violence. Some have physical injuries including brain injury.

"It is up to the social worker to figure out what's in play and get children help they need to function optimally," said Williams. "We get a medical exam and bring their inoculations up to date. Most children we see have never been to a dentist. They have so many cavities they have to be sedated."

Social workers set up evaluations and treatment programs. Children need various therapies, medication, educational remediation or in-home behavioral intervention. Social workers drive children to many of their appointments. They attend school conferences and treatment team meetings.

If siblings aren't placed together, the social worker creates opportunities for them to see one another. They may drive upwards of 800 miles a month if needed services are in Durham or Charlotte, or if the only available therapeutic foster home is in Rutherford County.

The permanent plan is identified in court documents. The judge instructs parents to follow the plan. After three months, the plan is reviewed in court with the parents, and then every six months until the case is closed. The social worker submits a written report and testifies in court regarding the services DSS provided, the parents' progress and the status of the child. When DSS is satisfied that the parent can provide adequate care, they recommend that the judge return custody of the children.

"We have to set aside our own values when we make decisions," said Williams. "We have to apply minimal standards according to regulations. Parents don't have to be good parents; they can be adequate parents. We have to respect their rights. And just because a family lives in a home that is considerably substandard doesn't mean that the parents are inadequate. We have to look at the basics — food, running water, electricity, heat, no exposed wires or broken windows."

"We usually know by the first six-month review whether the parents will make it. If they're trying but need more time, we'll stretch beyond 12 months, but we don't want children to languish in foster care."

The social worker explores other options. She presents the case to the Permanency Planning Action Team, a mandated advisory group whose role is checks and balances. They approve a revised permanent plan. The new goal can be guardianship with a relative, granting custody to relative or terminating parents' rights and adoption.

The new plan is presented to a judge, who listens to testimony from parents, the social worker and expert witnesses. The Guardian ad Litem, a trained child advocate volunteer, submits a report to the judge with recommendations for what's in the best interest of the child.

Parents are each represented by an attorney. Children are represented by a Guardian ad Litem attorney. The social services department is represented by one of two county attorneys who work full time at DSS.

After considering all of the information, the judge makes a decision about the child's permanent home. It is then up to the social worker to implement the court order. If the child is to be adopted, it can take from six months to a year to complete the process. It isn't unusual for foster parents to adopt children they nurtured, but when that doesn't happen, finding the right adoptive home can be difficult, especially for older children.

"It's hard for social workers not to become emotionally involved," said Jennifer Hudgens, a foster care worker for eight-plus years. "One of the most frustrating aspects of my job is parents who don't do what they need to do to get their kids back. I work really hard to help parents and when they don't cooperate, I'm disappointed."

"For some parents, the barriers are too great," acknowledged Johnson. "Pervasive mental illness often coupled with substance abuse is a common reason parents lose custody. Low-functioning parents may love their children but don't know how to parent. It's often intergenerational. They themselves grew up in an environment of substance abuse or mental illness."

Emily Metzger worked for two years to help a teen mother overcome addiction. She teared up over the mother's failure to parent her child, but radiated joy describing the "really good" adoptive home she found for the 4-year-old.

"You have to have a passion for this work," she concluded. "We make a huge difference in the lives of children."

<p>"When a child is placed in foster care, my job is to see that the child has a safe, stable, permanent home," says Rachel Williams, one of 13 foster care social workers at the Department of Social Services. "It can be a tough balancing act between the rights and needs of parents and what's in the best interest of children."</p><p>She explained the process of determining the child's future. It is prescribed by law and very thorough. The social worker must create a permanent plan. The goal for the first 12 months must be reunification of the family. The plan lists what parents must accomplish before their children are returned. </p><p>The plan includes things such as holding a job for a period of time, finding a safe home or correcting safety hazards, completing parenting education or a domestic violence prevention program, having a mental health or substance abuse evaluation, getting treatment and remaining sober. Parents may be required to have periodic drug screens. </p><p>Social workers refer parents to local human service agencies for help in accomplishing their goals and follow-up with encouragement. They must visit the parents and the child's foster home at least monthly to check on progress. There is a lot of telephone contact in between.</p><p>Meanwhile, the worker is addressing needs of the children. Social worker Gloria Johnson described some of the problems children coming into foster care have. They may have been exposed to alcohol and/or drugs in utero. Perhaps they were born addicted to methadone. </p><p>They may have fetal alcohol syndrome. They may be malnourished. Most had poor prenatal nutrition. They may have lacked nurturing. Their intellectual and social development may be delayed. They may have traumatic stress disorder from sexual abuse or domestic violence. Some have physical injuries including brain injury.</p><p>"It is up to the social worker to figure out what's in play and get children help they need to function optimally," said Williams. "We get a medical exam and bring their inoculations up to date. Most children we see have never been to a dentist. They have so many cavities they have to be sedated." </p><p>Social workers set up evaluations and treatment programs. Children need various therapies, medication, educational remediation or in-home behavioral intervention. Social workers drive children to many of their appointments. They attend school conferences and treatment team meetings. </p><p>If siblings aren't placed together, the social worker creates opportunities for them to see one another. They may drive upwards of 800 miles a month if needed services are in Durham or Charlotte, or if the only available therapeutic foster home is in Rutherford County.</p><p>The permanent plan is identified in court documents. The judge instructs parents to follow the plan. After three months, the plan is reviewed in court with the parents, and then every six months until the case is closed. The social worker submits a written report and testifies in court regarding the services DSS provided, the parents' progress and the status of the child. When DSS is satisfied that the parent can provide adequate care, they recommend that the judge return custody of the children.</p><p>"We have to set aside our own values when we make decisions," said Williams. "We have to apply minimal standards according to regulations. Parents don't have to be good parents; they can be adequate parents. We have to respect their rights. And just because a family lives in a home that is considerably substandard doesn't mean that the parents are inadequate. We have to look at the basics — food, running water, electricity, heat, no exposed wires or broken windows." </p><p>Interim DSS Director Jerrie McFalls explained what happens when parents don't accomplish their plan. </p><p>"We usually know by the first six-month review whether the parents will make it. If they're trying but need more time, we'll stretch beyond 12 months, but we don't want children to languish in foster care."</p><p>The social worker explores other options. She presents the case to the Permanency Planning Action Team, a mandated advisory group whose role is checks and balances. They approve a revised permanent plan. The new goal can be guardianship with a relative, granting custody to relative or terminating parents' rights and adoption.</p><p>The new plan is presented to a judge, who listens to testimony from parents, the social worker and expert witnesses. The Guardian ad Litem, a trained child advocate volunteer, submits a report to the judge with recommendations for what's in the best interest of the child. </p><p>Parents are each represented by an attorney. Children are represented by a Guardian ad Litem attorney. The social services department is represented by one of two county attorneys who work full time at DSS.</p><p>After considering all of the information, the judge makes a decision about the child's permanent home. It is then up to the social worker to implement the court order. If the child is to be adopted, it can take from six months to a year to complete the process. It isn't unusual for foster parents to adopt children they nurtured, but when that doesn't happen, finding the right adoptive home can be difficult, especially for older children.</p><p>"It's hard for social workers not to become emotionally involved," said Jennifer Hudgens, a foster care worker for eight-plus years. "One of the most frustrating aspects of my job is parents who don't do what they need to do to get their kids back. I work really hard to help parents and when they don't cooperate, I'm disappointed." </p><p>"For some parents, the barriers are too great," acknowledged Johnson. "Pervasive mental illness often coupled with substance abuse is a common reason parents lose custody. Low-functioning parents may love their children but don't know how to parent. It's often intergenerational. They themselves grew up in an environment of substance abuse or mental illness." </p><p>Emily Metzger worked for two years to help a teen mother overcome addiction. She teared up over the mother's failure to parent her child, but radiated joy describing the "really good" adoptive home she found for the 4-year-old. </p><p>"You have to have a passion for this work," she concluded. "We make a huge difference in the lives of children."</p>